Rodeo Roots
The sport of Rodeo today arose out of the real life working practices of cattle
ranching families in Spain, Mexico, and later in the United States, Canada, South
America and Australia.
Early rodeo-like affairs of the 1820s and 1830s were informal events in the
western United States and northern Mexico with cowboys and vaqueros testing their
work skills against one another.
Following the American Civil War, early rodeo competitions emerged with the first
being held in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1872, but Prescott, Arizona claims the
distinction of holding the first professional rodeo when it charged admission and
awarded trophies in 1888. Between 1890 and 1910, rodeo became a public
entertainment, sometimes combining Wild West Shows featuring individuals such as
Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, and other charismatic stars. By 1910, several
major rodeos were established in western North America, including the Calgary
Stampede, the Pendleton Round-Up, and the Cheyenne Frontier Days.
